10 things to know about healthy eating during pregnancy

Source: Excerpted from I’m Pregnant Now What Do I Eat? – copyright 2008 DK Publishing

There is a lot of information to absorb when you become pregnant, but once you know the principles of healthy eating during pregnancy, preparing delicious meals and snacks will become second nature. Follow these healthy-diet tips to bring the greatest possible benefit to you and your baby.

1. Relax: It’s really simple!

Getting the right nutrients during pregnancy to give your baby the best possible start in life is easy to achieve if you eat a well-balanced, wide-ranging diet.

2. Good for you, too

A healthy diet will keep you strong, positive, and energized, making it easier for you to cope with the big life changes of pregnancy and afterward.

3. New lifestyle

Pregnancy is a great time to establish new lifestyle habits you can continue in future, as you care for your newborn and for yourself.

4. Benefits and protection

Your baby will benefit from increased protection from some birth defects and go on to enjoy lifelong benefits if you eat a well-balanced diet.

5. Brains and nerves

Eating certain vitamins and nutrients during pregnancy has been shown to build a better brain and nervous system in a developing foetus.

6. Omega-3 fatty acids

Eating foods rich in these enhances your baby’s neurological development, helping to build intelligence and promote mental health.

7. Lower future risks

You can actively lower the future risk of cardiovascular disease in your baby by eating a heart-healthy diet while you are pregnant.

8. Keep glucose low

High glucose levels in your bloodstream will mean a baby with a high birth weight at risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease later in life.

9. Salt and water

Drink plenty of water and don’t hesitate to use the saltshaker on freshly prepared foods while you are pregnant.

10. Calcium intake

Protect your health by making sure you get enough calcium toward the end of the second trimester and throughout the third.